Is Obama facing racism?

News this week is that the first black US President has been facing tough resistance on his proposed health care system reforms. If you recall well, these health care policies were controversial from day one of the campaign.

However, former US President Carter yesterday put the resistence straight on the shoulders of plain cold racism. Most white Americans, it seems, are trying to find a way, anything, to discredit this new black President. We must all admit, being the first black president in a country that has been characterised by race divisions for centuries was never going to be a walk in the park. There are still some remnants of white supremacy, and indeed on the balancing scale some black supremacists. The scale may not even out in the next 5o years.

But we must be careful with these race matters. Most of the time, race is played to overshadow incompetencies, sometimes giving undue advatages to undeserving office bearers. I am an advocate of President Obama because I believe in his intelligence, not his colour. I would like to see President Obama judged not by the colour of his skin, but by the matter in his head.

I have no doubt that President Obama is good for Africa, Europe and the Middle-East. He is a moderate, unlike the texan born, cowboy gun totting Bush who invaded half the world. Issues of his race are a reality, but his colour alone MUST NOT be used to discredit his policies. Policies must be attacked for what they are, and not by whom they are made.

Obama Scandal brewing in Kenya

I find it odd that Clinton arrived in Kenya this week after the recent explosion of Obama’s Kenyan birth certificate throughout the media. It was said that Clinton was going there to talk about corruption scandals, which happened in 2007. It was also said that she was going to see Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who is now the Prime Minister. Odinga is Obama’s cousin, who is dogmatically claiming that Obama was born in Kenya. It has also been claimed that Odinga is the agent responsible for helping Obama cover up the birth certificate scandal within the Kenyan government.

Sec. of State Hillary Clinton was where the buck stops in the birth certificate fiasco. It is her underlings that are responsible for clarifying Obama’s citizenship, making this story interesting. Call me paranoid or conspiratorial, but I think this is a coincidence worth noting.

By Geoff Linsley.

He hit the spot!

I did not have too much respect for Obama before he came to our shores. But honestly, he hit the nail on the spot that drives it home. Africa is for the Africans, and we must not live in the past. We cannot blame the west for "all" our ills. Surely we have contributed in part to our present predicament. Zimbabwe plotted its own downfall! Coming from a black American of African descent, I think the lean boy has all the chance to say whatever he wants. We have been used for far too long to painting our arguments in black and white.

Barack Obama in Ghana

In exactly 9 hours Ghana time, Air Force One will touch down gently at Kotoka International Airport. The lean, smooth talking, and astute President of the USA will gently make his way down and wave to an expectant crowd lining the tarmac to welcome him African style. History will be made. America is coming to Africa.

At exactly the same time tomorrow, Air Force One will gently taxi to the end of the runway, before speeding at breakneck speed for take off. Mesmerised, we shall watch in amazement as arguably the most sophisticated airplane on the planet kisses the Accra clouds before disappearing over the sea and hurtle towards its home in Washington. Again history would have been made.

The tomato seller will go back to her table at the roadside. The Y`ello airtime crew will sprawl across the Accra streets as before and eke out a hard living. Teachers will go back to their old classrooms, lawyers to their old courts, engineers to work, and children to the same old classroom. So much will happen, but vey little will change. Its sad.

I would have wanted to see Ghana capitalise on this trip beyond just the media hype. I would have wished for Ghana to drive a very hard bargain, give Obama a Trade and Development Agreement to consider, increase the quota of exports from Ghana to the USA, advocate for cancellation of more debt, enhance private sector partnerships, acquire grants to build roads, hospitals, schools, dams, power generating plants, water purification, medicines, technology..everything that is on our "want list".

What is the reward for democracy, America needs to be asked? Why should Mugabe stop his age old antics to admire Ghana and this historic visit? Where is the incentive?

We must go beyond receiving these meaningless pats on the back, we are not kids, and we cannot be silenced by candy! We must know where our bread is battered, and if it is not buttered, we must seek more butter. It is good that these guys come, Obama is the 3rd sitting American President of the USA to come to Ghana over the last two decades, but not even one of them increased the export quota of Ghana to the USA.

For how long shall we remain the ululating class? For how long shall we proffer wide smiles for merely being labelled the good boys. We must ask for more, we must demand more, we must want more! We must close this gap. Let their gestures be backed up by meaningful economic exchanges, which are aside from AGOA and HIPC and all those one size fits all policies. America must show the world that the reward for democracy is economic partnership, outside the normal realms of peacemeal offers that they offer the length and breadth of the world.

Obama the celebrity?

Have you noticed how Obama still speaks like he is on a campaign trail, like he is at a rally? Dont you just feel that he is more of a celebrity than a President? Has the reality of him being President really sunk in? Am I the only one?